MPP Curriculum
MPP Lab
All entering MPP students will participate in the MPP Lab. This lab will meet the Friday, Saturday and Sunday before the commencement of the fall semester and for three full-day Friday sessions during the month of September. The purpose of the lab is to:
- ensure all MPP students have an understanding of basic statistics and how to apply them to the USC MPP program since statistics is a prerequisite to several MPP core courses
- acclimate new MPP students to the Los Angeles public policy professional community and MPP alumni
- provide an orientation to internship searches, resume review and interviewing techniques, and a basic introduction to writing for public policy
- offer a socialization venue for new MPP students to get acquainted with each other, second year students, the MPP faculty and the greater USC community
Completion of a college-level statistics course (with grade of C or better) within four years of matriculation at USC is a prerequisite to the program and the MPP Lab. The MPP Lab will be offered every fall; therefore, students who begin their studies at USC in the spring or summer terms will enroll in the MPP Lab during their first fall semester. Students who have not completed a statistics course are strongly encouraged to complete one prior to enrollment in the MPP program. Delaying the lab will prevent students from enrolling in courses that carry the statistics prerequisite with others in their cohort and may delay length of time to completion of the program.